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See also Exhibitions for news about current and upcoming Elverhøj exhibits.
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF HISTORY & CULTURE
Elverhøj is honoring Solvang’s founding in 1911 and its 110th anniversary using the theme of “Skål Solvang—Celebrating 110 Years of History & Culture.” We launched a new email series highlighting community milestones. Pop-up displays will appear in Solvang storefronts this spring, and—when allowed—special exhibitions and events. Here are links to the first installments in the monthly email series: Land Purchased for New Danish Colony Trying Times for the New Colony To follow the story as it continues, make sure to subscribe to our Skål Solvang email series as it continues throughout 2021. If you aren’t receiving our newsletters and messages in your inbox, drop us a note at info@elverhoj.org.
SOLVANG’S FIRST COMPLETE HISTORICAL BOOK 220 page, full-color, hardcover book. Shipping available. To purchase phone (805) 686-1211 or email info@elverhoj.org or use this ORDER FORM.
People tend to be curious about Solvang, this Danish town in the rural Santa Ynez Valley. Curious about the people. Curious about the culture and its authenticity. Curious about how it all came to be. This book chronicles the challenges and triumphs of this Danish community that grew, thrived, and evolved while most faded into obscurity. Although Solvang was founded more than a century ago, there has been a lack of complete and accurate information regarding the town’s history and evolution. Until now there had been no published written or photographic documentation of one of the most vital Danish-American communities in the United States. The book is authored by researcher Ann Dittmer and Elverhøj Executive Director Esther Jacobsen Bates with a foreword by Denmark’s Ambassador to the United States, Lone Dencker Wisborg.
For more information or to purchase phone (805) 686-1211 or email info@elverhoj.org or use this ORDER FORM. See media coverage:
BARTELL’S BACKROADS PITSTOP IN SOLVANG Congrats to our very own Esther for her role in helping show John Bartel around. He has a series called Backroads and wanders around California exploring places his viewers may be interested in. Why were we interested in him? He works for ABC 10 in Sacramento. Take a look at this short sweet cute Solvang Clip featured in Sacramento.
E-Series
Join us as we celebrate moments in Solvang history in a new E-Series and learn about this Danish village nestled in the foothills of California’s Central Coast. Visitors to Solvang today are welcomed by a picturesque downtown of Old World style half-timber buildings and windmills. Yet the story behind these facades is a surprising one that dates back more than a century, when the Danish colony was established as a home for a traditional folk school. Email info@elverhoj.org to be on the list to receive these occasional emails. We promise not to share your information. Here are links to each date in the series:
In Forbes, May 11, 2020, appeared the article In Tiny Solvang, California, Rembrandt Continues Teaching Valuable Lessons. Two front page articles in 2019 featured our most recent Elverhøj exhibit: The Santa Ynez Valley Star published a story August 6th: Eyvind Earle, John Cody works featured in “Crossing Paths.” The Santa Ynez Valley News published a story July 25: Elverhoj Museum in Solvang to debut “Crossing Paths” exhibit, featuring artist Eyvind Earle & John Cody. The publication My Livable City Vol. 4 Issue. 1, Apr-Jun 2017, included an article about Solvang in its Urban Blueprint section (“A series of case studies that capture the transformational qualities of well-designed cities”). Author Willem Swart gives an insightful and comprehensive analysis of Solvang’s development through the lens of architecture and what he calls 'allopatric urbanization.' For a PDF copy of the complete article, click the image below.
We invite you to become part of the volunteer family who are the heart, soul and voice of Elverhøj. Come share our warm and lively cultural center and become part of this small museum with a big reach. Share your skills while getting an insider's view of the Museum and its magic. Not much free time? Try volunteering two to four hours, once or twice a month. Retired? Elverhøj is a perfect place to share your skills and life's wisdom. Looking for a way to share your interest in art or doing crafts? Talk to us and let’s find a way to share it with our visitors. Are you—or do you know—a student who needs public service credit? Think Elverhøj! Volunteer Opportunities
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Contact us at (805) 686-1211 or info@elverhoj.org
DVD CHRONICLES SOLVANG HISTORY
The historic building and carefully manicured cottage gardens provide a beautiful backdrop for intimate weddings. The garden with its abundant year-round blooms and corner gazebo creates a lovely setting for any wedding party. The bell in its stately tower can chime, marking the presentation of the newly married couple. The garden area comfortably accommodates up to 150 guests. Call (805) 686-1211 for information about availability and the reasonable rates. |
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More than 10 years of research and development went into the project. Rich with photographs, the 220-page hardbound book incorporates extensive use of photographic resources, artifacts and oral histories, and maps of early Solvang. The full-color publication includes information about changes to the social, cultural, agricultural, architectural and economic landscape of Solvang and involves the contributions of a great many individuals who volunteered countless hours. 
So begins a DVD screening in Elverhøj’s Solvang Room and available in the Museum Store for $15. Entitled Solvang, Danish Colony in California, it tells the fascinating history of a little town that grew into an internationally-known tourist destination.